2010 Cub Scout Rocket Launch

We had a perfect day for the annual cub scout rocket launch. Both boys are now able to setup their own rockets. The wind was down to 10 mph, and we only lost one that drifted out into a cornfield.

Gramma's Funeral

Saturday was devoted to the whole reason we went to Utah - Gramma's funeral. She lived a truly fantastic life and went quickly without pain or suffering. I hope someday I can do the same.

As usual for any big family get together, the S family provided all the live entertainment.

Good bye Gramma. We love you!

After a long day, it was face down time on the table for GP.

Family

After Snowbird, we went to uncle O's place to say Hi. Little O was to be married on Sunday, so Aunt A was busy trying to put everything together. A wedding and a funeral in the same weekend!

After Uncle O's, we went to R & JP's place for a shrimp boil. The boys were uber impressed with RP's firearms and civil war stuff. They have a new real-life hero that competes head-to-head with the xbox.

TB says "If you'd just take off that other sock, I'd be able to fly around the room."

Snowbird

Stop three was my favorite place in SLC: Snowbird. We ate lunch at the grille and then took the tram up to the top. GP was more than a little nervous going up. He refused to let go of his pole.

When we pulled up in the parking lot, we were greeted with some snowflakes. If it was snowing there, what was going on up top? More of the same.

Fortunately, the wind wasn't blowing to bad, and the clouds only blocked the view upwards. We could see down into American Fork and Little Cottonwood canyons. Niiiiice.

I have never seen the boys as excited as they were here. I don't know if it was the abundance of gift shops, the good food, or just the beauty of the place. CP actually asked me if I wanted to go for a hike! Of course!!!

The aspen were beginning to change and the sun broke out. What a beautiful day.

Bingham Canyon

Stop two on our tour around the valley was the Bingham Canyon copper mine. The first time I was here they were using trains to haul the rock. Now it's big dump trucks.

It was a cloudy rainy day and the clouds hid the tops of the surrounding mountains. Click on the panorama to see it full-size. Hard to believe that there was once a mountain where this hole is. Took over 100 years to remove it with dynamite.

The trucks on the road are each larger than our house and can haul 240 tons of rock. The boys enjoyed watching them drive around. Too bad we didn't catch any blasting.

Smelly Beach

Saturday we played tourist around the salt lake valley. First stop: the smelly Great Salt Lake. We aren't sure if the smell eminated from the dead brine shrimp on the shore or the coal-fired Kenecott smelter across the street.

It was too cold for the boys to go swimming. Instead they played with the foam and tried their best not to fall in.

Deaths in the Family

Last Tuesday we learned that both Gramma P and JP's Uncle G died. We loaded up the family truckster and hit the road Thursday in an attempt to go 900 miles west to SLC in a day.

As we went west, the altitude increased and the air pressure decreased and the bag of chips swelled up like a racoon sleeping on the side of the road.

Once we left NE, we were treated to something other than blue skies and flat ground.

What's on the golf course? Antelope!
We made it to our hotel in 13 hours. The ever changing scenery of WY & UT made it exciting, especially for the boys, who have only road tripped across Iowa.

Pumpkin Run

Both boys and JP ran the one-mile Pumpkin Run at Pioneers Park this year. It's the largest kid cross country run in the nation. Here in Lincoln.

Crown Molding

We didn't have anything to do last weekend and the Huskers weren't playing, so JP said "Hey, let's put up crown molding in the living room." OK. It took seven 12-ft pieces to go around the room. Fortunately, for the first time in my life, I didn't make any mistakes on the saw and did not have to make a return journey to the Home Depot.

Birthdays

GP celebrated his bday with lasagne and sugar cookies.

JP ambushed CP's bday candles with trick candles that kept relighting. The boys thought it was the funniest thing ever. This week has been absolutely beautiful. I remember when we took CP home from the hospital and it was snowing.

ITLAPD 2010

Since International Talk Like A Pirate day fell on Sunday, this year we observed it on Monday at work. The guys all got in the spirit and wore their iPatches for me. It made my day. However, JP is not as appreciative of pirate talk and forbade it in the house. Arrrrrgh.

The HR manager asked me about the pirate flag flying on our flagpole. Um.... uh... it's a team building exercise we're doing.

Football Season Again!!!

Football season is back. Go Big Red!!! Homecoming is this weekend and will be another easy win.
Last year in the Big 12. Looking forward to taking on the Big 10 next year.

Death in the Hood

I'm sad to report that our neighbor EL to the north passed away after fighting cancer for a year. We will miss him.

Animals run the house

Dry paws on one side, cool clear water on the other. So that's the purpose of a double sink.

All the girls like to sleep past dawn.

Last Game

Last nite we watched our third and final Saltdogs game with work. It was a beautiful nite, and our neighbors went with us. After the game we were treated to a spectacular fireworks show out over the RR tracks.

There's Memorial Stadium, home of the Huskers. Hard to believe that in less than a week, it will once again become the third largest city in Nebraska. Go Big Red! Our opening game is against Western North Kentucky - will we be able to pull it off?

Every day, JP finds her knitting bag in disarray with all its contents scattered about the house. Today she found the culprit. All that stuff is usually in the bag.

Back to School

The boys headed back to school this week. CP started jr. high and is loving the independence it gives him. GP loves his new teacher and is glad to back with all his friends. I am taking a class on campus this semester that meets twice a week, so that should be exciting.

Yesterday was busy day. It started with teeing off @ 8:30 and playing 9 holes, then mow/trim/edge, then wash the car, then a trip to home depot for 500' of wire, then all afternoon in the sun installing the underground dog fence wire. If I were in the south, I'd say "Om tarred!"